Pakistan parliament forms body to resolve house-related issues after uproar over arrests of opposition MPs

Gohar Khan, Chairman of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), speaks during a National Assembly session in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 11, 2024. (@NAofPakistan)
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Updated 11 September 2024
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Pakistan parliament forms body to resolve house-related issues after uproar over arrests of opposition MPs

  • Ex-PM Imran Khan’s party announces boycott of parliament pending investigation into arrests of MPs from inside parliament 
  • Information minister Ataullah Tarar says video evidence shows lawmakers were not detained while they were inside National Assembly 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution to constitute a 16-member committee to resolve issues related to the house, days after the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party said several of its lawmakers had been arrested from inside the parliament building. 

Pakistani police arrested several MPs belonging to ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party in late night raids on Monday and early Tuesday after it held a rally in the capital on Sunday to demand his release. The PTI says a number of the MPs were detained while they were inside the parliament building. National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq on Tuesday opened an inquiry into the arrests as under Pakistani law, lawmakers cannot be arrested from within the precincts of parliament without the speaker’s permission.

On Wednesday, the PTI announced its lawmakers would boycott parliament sessions until it was “satisfied” with the results of the investigation into the arrests.

“The House adopts motion stating , ‘Special Committee may be constituted by the Honourable Speaker, comprising sixteen members of the National Assembly from Treasury and Opposition Benches and the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs to discuss, analyze and firm up recommendations regarding issues related to the Parliament, Parliamentarians, Constitution, Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007, and smooth functioning of the Parliament,” the National Assembly said on X. 

The motion was moved by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar.

Earlier, while addressing the house, Tarar rejected the PTI’s claims that its MPs detained on Monday night had been taken into custody from inside the National Assembly building.

Sunday’s PTI rally was mostly peaceful, but there were clashes between police and some PTI supporters en route to the rally venue, in which one police officer was injured. The rally also went on longer than the 7pm deadline given by the district administration, a violation under the recently passed Peaceful Assembly and Public Order Act, 2024, which allows authorities to set time limits for public gatherings and designate special areas to hold them. The Islamabad administration had allowed the PTI to hold Sunday’s rally from 4pm till 7pm but the gathering went on until nearly 11pm.

Police have said the PTI MPs have been detained over violations of the new law.

“Some videos have come into your [Speaker’s] notice, some evidence has been brought forward that no one was picked up from inside the House,” Tarar, the federal government’s spokesperson, told parliament on Wednesday. 

PTI leaders rejected Tarar’s statement, with Chairman Gohar saying masked men had used walkie-talkies to communicate the movements of PTI party leaders inside parliament before detaining them and escorting them to the main gate. 

“Masked men came [inside], they opened all the doors. Who had the keys to open the doors? Who switched off the lights?” Gohar, who was arrested on Monday night but released on Tuesday, said.

He said the PTI would boycott parliamentary sessions until it was “satisfied” with the results of an inquiry into the arrests. 

“We will not even come to your committees. This is our protest.” 

Gohar also requested the house that the arrested PTI MNAs be produced in the ongoing session of the National Assembly today, Wednesday: 

“This was your order and is the minimum you should do.”

“CRACKDOWN”

The PTI says it has faced an over year-long crackdown since protesters allegedly linked to the party attacked and damaged government and military installations on May 9, 2023, after Khan’s brief arrest that day in a land graft case. Hundreds of PTI followers and leaders were arrested following the riots and many remain behind bars as they await trial. The military, which says Khan and his party were behind the attacks, has also initiated army court trials of at least 103 people accused of involvement in the violence.

The party says it was not allowed to campaign freely ahead of the Feb. 9 general election, a vote marred by a mobile Internet shutdown on election day and unusually delayed results, leading to accusations that it was rigged and drawing concern from rights groups and foreign governments.

The PTI says it won the most seats, but its mandate was “stolen” by PM Shebaz Sharif’s coalition government which formed the government with the backing of the all-powerful military. Both deny the claim.

Khan, jailed since last August, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics. Since his removal, Khan and his party have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military and now the PTI is aiming to mobilize the public through public rallies to call for their leader’s release from jail in “politically motivated” cases. 

The ex-PM faces a slew of legal charges and was convicted in four cases since he was first taken into custody, all of which have been either suspended or overturned by the courts. He remains in jail, however, on new charges brought by Pakistan’s national accountability watchdog regarding the illegal sale of gifts from a state repository while Khan was prime minister from 2018 to 2022.


Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam University breaks into top 500 global institutions

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Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam University breaks into top 500 global institutions

  • Located in Islamabad, the university is placed in the 401-500 band by Times Higher Education Rankings
  • Other Pakistani educational institutions on the list include LUMS, NUST, COMSATS and Air University

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam University has secured a spot among the top 500 universities in the world, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025, with the institution placed in the 401-500 band.
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are released annually and consider several benchmarks that include teaching, research, employability, and sustainability. Securing a position in these rankings not only enhances a university’s reputation but also reflects its academic excellence and global impact.
Quaid-e-Azam University is the only educational institution in Pakistan to fall in the 401-500 ranking band followed by seven other local universities falling within the 601-800 band.
“This year’s ranking analyzed more than 134 million citations across 16.5 million research publications and included survey responses from 68,402 scholars globally,” the Times Higher Education website said. “Overall, we collected 411,789 data points from more than 2,673 institutions that submitted data.”
“Trusted worldwide by students, teachers, governments and industry experts, the 2024 league table reveals how the global higher education landscape is shifting,” it added.
The Pakistani universities in the 601-800 band include Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Air University, Capital University of Science and Technology, COMSATS University Islamabad, University of Engineering and Technology Taxila, Government College University Faisalabad and National University of Sciences and Technology.
Eleven Pakistani universities attained a spot in the 801-1000 ranking band including Bahria University, Hazara University Mansehra, International Islamic University Islamabad, Islamia College Peshawar, University of Lahore, Lahore University of Management Sciences, University of Malakand, University of Management and Technology, University of the Punjab, Institute of Space Technology and University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore.
The 1001-1200 ranking band included 13 Pakistani universities while the 1201-1500 ranking band included four local universities and the rest fall in the 1500+ category.
Quaid-e-Azam University is located in Pakistan’s capital city of Islamabad. Its inclusion in top 500 global institutions underscores its emerging prominence on the world stage, highlighting its commitment to delivering quality education and research.


Pakistan’s Punjab forms committee to probe alleged rape of Lahore student

Updated 31 min 41 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Punjab forms committee to probe alleged rape of Lahore student

  • Hundreds of students protested this week over alleged rape of Lahore college student by security guard
  • Seven-member committee headed by Punjab chief secretary to probe incident college says is “false”

ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Tuesday formed a committee to investigate the alleged rape of a college student in the eastern city of Lahore, following clashes between police and students over the reported incident. 

Hundreds of students on Monday staged protests over the reported rape of a student of a private college in Lahore, forcing the closure of one of the campuses while police and provincial government officials denied the incident took place.

The incident was first reported on social media over the weekend, with varying accounts stating the rape took place on Thursday or Friday evening in the basement of the Punjab College for Women campus in Lahore. Police on Monday said no victim had come forward to file a complaint and the college dismissed the allegations as “false.”

“Apropos the subject, the chief minister has constituted a high-powered committee to investigate the reported incident of rape crime at the Punjab College for Women,” a government notification shared by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the ruling party in Punjab province, said. 

The seven-member committee is headed by the chief secretary with the advocate general of Punjab, home secretary, higher education secretary, special education department secretary and specialized health care and medical education department secretary as members. The seventh member would be any other member co-opted by the committee, the notification said. 

Police on Monday took into custody a security guard who was identified as the culprit by students online. The notification said that one of the terms of reference of the committee would be to gather facts, collect evidence and record any statements related to the alleged incident. 

It would also ascertain the appropriateness of the responses to the incident by the college and the Punjab Police when the incident came to light. 

“The committee shall submit the report along with the findings to the chief minister within 48 hours,” the notification said.

In a video statement shared on social media, the father of the alleged rape victim regretted that his daughter’s name was being associated with the incident. Standing beside Additional Superintendent of Police Shehrbano Naqvi, the father said his daughter was admitted to a hospital after she slipped and suffered an injury to her backbone. 

“We have handed her medical reports and everything to the police,” he said. “Those who have daughters, only then can understand the pain we are going through [because of the rumors.]“


Pakistan win toss, bat in second England Test

Updated 54 min 4 sec ago
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Pakistan win toss, bat in second England Test

  • England lead the three-match series 1-0 after an innings and 47-run victory in the first Test
  • Defeat prompted Pakistan to drop Babar Azam and pacers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah

MULTAN: Pakistan captain Shan Masood won the toss and decided to bat Tuesday in the second Test against England in Multan.
England lead the three-match series 1-0 after an innings and 47-run victory in the first Test, played at the same venue.
The defeat – Pakistan’s sixth in as many Tests – prompted their selectors to drop ace batsman Babar Azam.
Also left out were pace bowlers Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah, plus spinner Abrar Ahmed, who had been hospitalized with fever during the first Test.
Batsman Kamran Ghulam will make his debut in place of Azam.
Pakistan opted for three spinners in their attack in the shape of Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood and Noman Ali with only one pace bowler, Aamer Jamal.
England captain Ben Stokes returns from a hamstring injury and fast bowler Matthew Potts comes into the side, with Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes left out from the first Test.
The third and final Test begins on October 24 in Rawalpindi.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Agha, Aamer Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood
England: Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir
Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (SRI), Chris Gaffaney (NZL)
TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN)
Match referee: Richie Richardson (WIS)


Pakistan reports fresh polio case, taking 2024 tally to 33 

Updated 15 October 2024
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Pakistan reports fresh polio case, taking 2024 tally to 33 

  • Pakistan reports latest polio case from southwestern Quetta district in Balochistan province 
  • Pakistan faces challenges in fight against polio, most prominent among them militancy 

KARACHI: Pakistan’s polio program said this week another case of the poliovirus has been reported from the country’s southwestern Quetta district, taking the total number of cases this year to 33. 

Pakistan, along with neighboring Afghanistan, remains the last polio-endemic country in the world. Starting from late 2018, Pakistan saw a resurgence of cases and increased spread of polio, highlighting the fragility of gains achieved in the preceding three years.

“Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of wild poliovirus type-1 case from Quetta District of Balochistan,” the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme said on Monday. 

The total number of poliovirus cases this year from Balochistan has increased to 17 while the number of cases reported from Sindh are 10. The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has reported four while one case each has been reported from Punjab and Islamabad.

The polio program said that environmental samples from Quetta district and Quetta city have been consistently positive for poliovirus this year, indicating continued circulation of the virus and risk to children. It added that this year, 37 positive environmental samples and three cases have been reported from Quetta, while Quetta district has reported 65 positive environmental samples and 11 cases.

The program said implementing polio campaigns across Pakistan was a “challenge” last year. 

“Campaigns were staggered or postponed due to localized protests, boycotts and insecurity, leading to a cohort of missed children who can sustain poliovirus transmission,” the statement said. “This outbreak is indicative of the harm children suffer due to missed vaccination opportunities.”

Pakistan’s polio eradication program began in 1994 and the number of cases has declined dramatically since then but the country continues to face challenges in its fight against polio, including militancy, with polio workers targeted by attacks, particularly in the KP province.

The polio program has adapted to respond to climate disasters such as floods but continues to face disruptions. There are also gaps in supplementary immunization activities, especially in areas where the virus is still present.


Second batch of 64 Palestinian students arrive in Pakistan's capital to continue medical studies

Updated 15 October 2024
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Second batch of 64 Palestinian students arrive in Pakistan's capital to continue medical studies

  • Islamabad says a total of 192 Palestinian students from Gaza will continue fully funded studies in Pakistani institutions
  • Second batch of Palestinian students are from the fourth and fifth year of medical and dental curriculum, says NGO

ISLAMABAD: A second batch of 64 Palestinian medical and dental students from Gaza arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday morning to continue their education in Pakistani educational institutions, a leading non-governmental organization involved in the initiative confirmed.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry announced in July that the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) will provide scholarships to over 100 Palestinian students so that they can continue their studies in Pakistan as Israel’s war wreaks havoc in the Middle East. The initiative is a collaboration between Doctors of Rehman, Global Relief Trust and the leading Pakistani non-governmental organization, Al-Khidmat Foundation. 

The second batch of a total of 192 Palestinian students departed Cairo for Islamabad on Monday. The development took place hours after the first batch of 27 Palestinian students from Gaza arrived in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore. 

“Praise be to god, the second batch of 64 Palestinian students arrived at Islamabad airport this morning,” Al-Khidmat Foundation said in a statement. “The students are from fourth and fifth year of medical and dental curriculum.”

The foundation said that its delegation received the “excited” students at the airport. In pictures shared with the statement, Al-Khidmat Foundation members can be seen posing with Palestinian students and handing out roses to them.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has killed over 42,000 people in Gaza through relentless bombardment despite ceasefire calls and angry protests in several countries around the world. The Jewish state has bombed thousands of buildings, included medical institutions in the territory, as it carries out airstrikes and ground offensives in Gaza. 

There have also been widespread reports of substantial damage to educational institutions along with reports of deliberate targeting of Palestinian academics. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources have documented severe damage to Gaza’s health care facilities, including the largest hospital Al-Shifa, which has been rendered non-functional due to extensive damage in the ongoing conflict.

The WHO has also warned of the outbreak of diseases in Gaza, reporting that cases of meningitis, jaundice, impetigo, chickenpox and other upper respiratory tract infections have been recorded in the area.